Skiing & Snowboarding Injury Prevention Exercises: A PT's Pre-Season Plan
The lifts on Mt. Hood won't spin for a while yet, and that's exactly why now matters. Ski legs aren't built on opening day. They're built in the 8 to 12 weeks before it, in the garage, at the gym, or in the living room after the kids go to bed. Depending on snowfall, Mt. Hood Meadows, Timberline Lodge, and Mt. Hood Skibowl usually open sometime in December or January. Count back 8 to 12 weeks and you land right about now. This post covers the skiing and snowboarding injury prevention exercises I'd prioritize this fall, what the research says about which injuries actually happen on the mountain, and a few on-slope habits with surprisingly strong evidence behind them. I treat skiers and snowboarders from Happy Valley and Clackamas every winter, and the ones who put in the work in October and November tend to spend less of January in my clinic.
What Injuries Actually Happen on the Mountain?
A study that tracked injuries at a Vermont ski resort over 18 seasons found that ACL sprains made up 17.2% of skiing injuries but only 1.7% of snowboarding injuries. Wrist injuries flipped the script: 27.6% of snowboarding injuries versus 2.8% for skiers (Kim et al., American Journal of Sports Medicine, 2012). A decade of data from western Canadian resorts told the same story (knees for skiers, wrists for snowboarders) and found most injuries came from falls on green, easiest-rated terrain, not on the steeps (Dickson & Terwiel, Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 2021).
The overall risk is low. That Canadian data averaged about 2.24 injuries per 1,000 skier days. But when injuries do happen, knees and wrists are where they land.
Why Ski and Snowboard Injuries Happen
For skiers, the classic ACL injury is a twisting fall, often when you get thrown into the back seat and your hips drop behind your feet while the skis keep going. For snowboarders, it's the instinctive outstretched hand when you catch an edge.
A few risk factors show up again and again. A 2015 meta-analysis in Sports Medicine found beginner skiers and snowboarders had roughly 2.7 times the odds of injury, and people on rental equipment about 2.6 times the odds (Hume et al., 2015). Poor visibility carried similar risk, worth remembering on a flat-light Mt. Hood day.
Here's the part I find most encouraging. In a Vermont study from the 1990s, ski patrollers and instructors who went through a training program built around recognizing the positions that lead to ACL injuries saw serious knee sprains drop by 62% compared to the two prior seasons, while a comparison group saw no decline (Ettlinger, Johnson & Shealy, American Journal of Sports Medicine, 1995). Awareness alone moved the needle. Strength and control on top of that awareness is what we're after.
Skiing & Snowboarding Injury Prevention Exercises You Can Start This Week
Strength training is the best-supported injury prevention tool we have across sports. A meta-analysis of 25 randomized trials found strength training cut sports injuries to less than a third, while stretching showed no protective effect (Lauersen, Bertelsen & Andersen, British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2014). Those trials weren't ski-specific, but the principle carries over.
Aim for 2-3 sessions a week. Give yourself at least 6-8 weeks, since that's roughly how long it takes to notice real strength changes, and ideally a full 8-12 week block before your first day. Start with bodyweight and add load as it gets easy.
1. Wall sits (3 x 30-60 seconds). Builds the quad endurance that keeps you out of the back seat on your last run. Work toward holding 90 degrees.
2. Goblet squats (3 x 8-12). Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell at your chest. Knees track over toes.
3. Single-leg Romanian deadlifts (3 x 8 per side). Strong hamstrings and hip control help protect the knee. Balance counts as part of the exercise.
4. Lateral lunges (3 x 8 per side). Skiing happens side to side. Most gym programs don't.
5. Skater hops with a stuck landing (3 x 6 per side). Jump sideways, land on one leg, and hold for two seconds. Knee stays over the foot, not caving inward. This is where landing control gets built.
6. Side planks (3 x 20-40 seconds per side). A stable trunk keeps you centered over your skis or board.
7. Single-leg balance, eyes closed (3 x 30 seconds per side). Once that's easy, stand on a pillow or have someone give you gentle pushes.
Snowboarders, add push-ups and forearm strength work, and spend a few minutes practicing falling on a soft surface: tuck your arms, land on your forearms or roll onto your back rather than reaching out with a stiff arm.
On the Mountain: The Habits With the Best Evidence
The same 2015 meta-analysis found helmets were associated with lower odds of head injury (odds ratio 0.58) and wrist guards with substantially lower odds of wrist injury in snowboarders (odds ratio 0.33) (Hume et al., 2015). If you ride, wear wrist guards. If you're new, take a lesson. If you rent, have the shop set your bindings to your height, weight, and ability. And when your legs start shaking, that "one more run" is the one to skip.
When to See a PT
Get evaluated before the season if:
- You've had an ACL injury or knee surgery and never completed a return-to-sport assessment
- Your knee caves inward or feels unstable during single-leg squats or landings
- You have lingering wrist, shoulder, or knee pain from last season
- A knee swells or gives way after activity
How PT Helps You Get Ready for Ski Season
At Timber and Iron in Happy Valley, pre-season work usually starts with a Strength & Movement Assessment: single-leg strength, landing mechanics, hip and ankle mobility, and side-to-side differences. From there, you get a program matched to how you ski or ride, not a generic handout. If you're coming back from an ACL reconstruction, post-operative rehabilitation and a proper return-to-sport progression matter far more than any single exercise on this list.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I start training for ski season?
Give yourself at least 6-8 weeks, and ideally 8-12. Mt. Hood Meadows, Timberline Lodge, and Mt. Hood Skibowl usually open sometime in December or January depending on snowfall, so early October puts you right in that window.
What muscles are most important for skiing?
Quads, glutes, and hamstrings do most of the work, with your trunk and hip stabilizers keeping you balanced over your skis.
Can exercise prevent ACL injuries in skiing?
No program eliminates risk, but strength training reduces injuries across sports, and knowing the positions that lead to ACL injuries has been linked to fewer serious knee sprains in skiers.
Do wrist guards really help snowboarders?
Yes. A 2015 meta-analysis found wrist guards were associated with substantially lower odds of wrist injury in snowboarders.
Is skiing or snowboarding more dangerous?
In the 18-season Vermont study, snowboarders were injured somewhat more often than skiers, but the bigger difference is where. Skiers hurt knees more; snowboarders hurt wrists, shoulders, and ankles more.
Want a pre-season plan built for your knees and your goals on the mountain? You don't need a referral in Oregon. You can book directly at HERE.
This content is for educational purposes only and doesn't constitute medical advice. For guidance specific to your situation, schedule a consultation with Dr. Ryan Eckert at Timber and Iron Physical Therapy.